Article of jewelry and method of assembling same

ABSTRACT

An article of jewelry comprising a base portion and an ornamental portion, means for detachably securing said ornamental portion to said base portion, said means comprising a noncircular lug extending rearwardly from the ornamental portion and complementary shaped opening in the base portion snugly receiving said lug so that the free end portion of the lug is exposed, said free end portion being twisted about its own axis so as to be out of alignment with the opening, thus maintaining the portions in assembled relation.

United States Patent Andreoli et al.

[54] ARTICLE OF JEWELRY AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING SAME [72] Inventors: Robert M. Andreoli, Cranston, R.I.;

Leo K. Stupell, Bronx, N.Y.

[73] Assignee: Stupell Industries, Ltd. Inc., 2,

Providence, RI.

[22] Filed: Aug. 17, I970 [21] Appl. No.: 64,159

[52] US. Cl ..4 /l40 [51] Int. Cl. 7/02 [58] Field of Search ..40/l40, 142, 143, 10

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,050,892 8/1936 Marx ..46/179 X 2,146,047 2/ 1939 Bangs ..40/ 143 3,321,855 5/1967 Phelps ..40/16.4 3,483,716 12/1969 Stenzler ..40/142 R X 1 Sept. 5, 1972 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,575,648 6/ 1969 France ..40/

Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell- Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J. Contreras Attorney-Salter & Michaelson [57] ABSTRACT An article of jewelry comprising a base portion and an ornamental portion, means for detachably securing said ornamental portion to said base portion, said means comprising a non-circular lug extending rearwardly from the ornamental portion and complementary shaped opening in the base portion snugly receiving said lug so that the free end portion of the lug is exposed, said free end portion being twisted about its own axis so as to be out of alignment with the opening, thus maintaining the portions in assembled relation.

2Claims, 6DrawingFigures PATENTEJBsEP 51912 3.888.426

Inventors Robert MAndrea Zi 22 Leo K.StupeZZ,

Att ys.

ARTICLE OF JEWELRY AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLING SAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an article of jewelry comprising a base portion and an ornamental portion, the basic concept of the invention being the provision of means permitting the ornamental portion to be easily and readily assembled to the base portion and detached therefrom when it is desired to replace the ornamental portion.

Many articles of jewelry are provided wherein it is desirable that the ornamental portion of the jewelry be readily removable from the base portion of the article of jewelry so that a different ornamental portion can be assembled therewith. This permits the owner of the jewelry to readilyreplace the ornamental portion with ornaments of different color or design to blend with or match different ensembles. Furthermore, in certain types of jewelry, such as so-called initial jewelry where the ornamental portion comprises the initials of the wearer, it is highly desirable that the initials be easily attachable and detachable with respect to the base por-- tions so that the retailer may customize the article of jewelry to meet the requirements of a particular customer. It will be obvious that if the retailer or merchant had to carry in stock articles of jewelry covering all possible combinations of initials, a virtually insurmountable inventory problem would exist. On the other hand, if the retailer or merchant can simply carry an inventory of the initials per se and of the base portions per se, and if the initials can be easily attached to the base portion, it follows that the retailer or merchant can quickly and easily assemble a desired combination of initials on a base portion to meet the needs of each particular customer, and at the same time maintain a reasonable inventory.

It is, of course, not new to provide an article of jewelry having a base portion and an ornamental portion that may be quickly attached and detached with respect thereto. Magnets, releasable fasteners, and the like have been used, for example, to effect such securement, but there is always the danger in such a situation of the ornamental portion becoming inadvertently detached from the base portion. In some cases, the ornamental portion is provided with lugs that extend through suitable openings in the base portion and then are peened over to effect the desired assembly. However, in such a case it has been found that bending and unbending of the lugs frequently results in the lugs breaking off and in addition, the bending and unbending of the lugs is a somewhat time consuming operation and often requires that a plurality of suitable tools be available. Furthermore, where the ornamental portion is mounted by bent lugs, there is frequently undesirable looseners and play between the ornamental portions and the base portion and the base portion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a remarkably simple and yet efficient means for attaching and detaching the ornamental portion with respect to the base portion, and specifically, the ornamental portion, whether it be initials or any other type of ornamentation, is provided with rearwardly extending lugs which, for reasons hereinafter to become apparent, are of non-circular cross section, which lugs are received by complementa ry shaped openings in the base portion, and specifically, the lugs extend through openings in a flat bar that forms a part of the base portion. The length of the lugs is slightly greater than the thickness of the bar so that the end portion of the lugs is exposed. Then, in accordance with this invention, a specially designed, but extremely simple, tool is provided which has an elongated shank with a slotted end, said slotted end receiving the exposed end of the lugs whereby when the tool is rotated, the exposed end portion of the lug is twisted about its own axis and hence becomes misaligned with respect to the opening, thereby maintaining the portions assembled. When it is desired to remove or separate the portions, it is simply necessary to impart a reverse twist to the exposed lug portion until it once again aligns with the opening whereupon the portions may quickly and easily be separated.

It is therefore a primary object of our invention to provide an article of jewelry having a novel means for permitting an ornamental portion to be quickly and easily attached and detached with respect to the base portion of the jewelry.

Another object is the provision of an extremely simple tool that may be used to facilitate the attaching and detaching of the aforesaid portions.

Another object is the provision of a novel and improved method for assembling an article of jewelry comprising an ornamental portion and a base portion, wherein said portions may be quickly and easily attached and detached, whenever desired.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an initial pin embodying our invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the base portion which forms a part of our invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the base portion shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the special tool that forms a part of our invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a part of the ornamental portion that forms a part of our invention; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, illustrating the step of attaching the omamental portion to the base portion.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, there is shown generally at 10 an article of jewelry comprising a base portion shown generally at 12 and ornamental portions l4, l6 and 18. It will be understood that although the ornamental portions are shown as being initials, the concept of this invention is not limited to initials but rather is adaptive to other forms of ornamentation as well. For example, the center member 16 could be an emblem of some sort while the outer members 14 and 18 could be initials etc.

The base portion 12 is preferably of metallic construction and comprises an elongated bar 20 having flanges 22 extending from opposite longitudinal edges thereof. The bar 20 and flanges 22 are offset at approximately the center portion thereof, as shown at 24 in FIGS. 2 and 3. The purpose of this offset portion will hereinafter become apparent. It will be understood that base portion 12 is adapted to be secured to the wearers apparel and in order to achieve this function, any suitable and well-known mode of securement may be employed. For example, a pin 26 pivotally connected to the base portion as at 28 and having a conventional catch 30 may be employed for this purpose. It will be understood, however, that the particular fastening means forms no part of this invention.

The ornamental portions 14, 16 and 18, whether they be initials or other forms of ornamentation, are each provided, on the rear surface thereof, with rearwardly extending lugs. 32. The lugs 32 may be integrally bent from a strip 34 which is then secured to the rear surface of the ornamental portion by any suitable means, such as soldering or the like. The lugs 32 are also preferably of metallic construction, although preferably of a relatively soft metal, such as brass. It is important that the lugs be of non-circular configuration in cross section.

As will be seen most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, bar 20 is provided with openings 36 which are complementary shaped so as to snugly receive the lugs 32, note FIG. 6. The length of the lugs 32 is greater than the thickness of bar 20 whereupon the end portion of the lugs 32 is exposed. At the same time, it is important to note that the exposed end portions of lugs 32 are of lesser length than the depth of flanges 22 whereupon the lugs 32 are protectively positioned within the confines of said flanges so as to minimize the likelihood of said lugs engaging the apparel of the wearer and perhaps penetrating same. In order to maintain the ornamental portions assembled to the base portion 12, the exposed end portions of lugs 32 are slightly twisted about their own axis to assume the position illustrated at 38 in FIG. 6. When so twisted, and it will be understood, that the relatively soft metallic construction of the lugs 32 permits this twisting action to be easily achieved, it will be seen that the twisted lug is out of alignment with opening 36 and hence cannot be withdrawn therethrough. Thus, the ornamental portions are maintained in assembled relation with respect to base portion 12. On the other hand, if it is desired to detach the ornamental portions from the base portion, it is simply necessary to impart a reverse twist to the exposed end portions of lugs 32 until the lugs are once again aligned with openings 36 whereupon the ornamental portions may be easily separated from the base portion.

One of the prime advantages of this mounting technique is that when the lugs are twisted, they tightly engage the bar 20 as illustrated most clearly in FIG. 6, whereby no undesirable looseners or play exists between the ornamental portions and the base portion when the former is mounted on the latter.

In order to facilitate the twisting of the lugs 32, a special tool shown generally at 40, FIG. 4, is provided. The tool 40 comprises an elongated shank 42 having a tapered end 44 with a slot 46 extending thereacross. The opposite extremity of shank 42 is provided with a pe endicularly extendiriig handle 48. Tool 40 is of me he construction an preferably of copper plated steel. When it is desired to twist the exposed end portions of lug 32, it is simply necessary to engage the slot 46 with the exposed end of lug 32, as illustrated in FIG. 6, and then slightly twist the tool, thus imparting the desired twist to the lug. By the same token, when it is desired to impart a reverse twist to the lug to permit removal of the ornamental portions from the base portion the tool 40 may be used in a similar manner.

Where three initials are employed, the center initial preferably overlaps the two end initials, as shown in FIG. 1. In order to permit this overlapping, the offset portion 24 is provided in bar 20 whereupon the center initail, when attached to base portion 12 in the manner aforedescribed, is in an elevated plane with respect to the two end initials and hence may overlap same. This results in a monogram that appears to be of integral construction, thus imparting an expensive, customized look.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of jewelry comprising an ornamental portion and a base portion, means for detachably connecting said ornamental portion to said base portion for ready attachment and detachment with respect thereto, said means comprising a noncircular lug extending rearwardly from said ornamental portion, a bar on said base portion having an opening snugly receiving said lug, the length of said lug being just slightly longer than the thickness of said bar whereby the end portion of said lug is exposed, said exposed end portion of said lug being twisted about its own axis so as to be out of alignment with said opening, hence maintaining said omamental portion assembled to said base portion, said exposed end portion being readily twistable back into alignment with said opening to permit ready separation of said portions, said bar having flanges extending rearwardly from the longitudinal edges thereof, the depth of said flanges being slightly greater than the length of said exposed end portion of said lug.

2. In the article of jewelry of claim 1, said ornamental portion comprising three separate initials, each having its own lug, said bar having a plurality of said openings for receiving said lugs, said bar further having an offset adjacent its center portion whereby the middle initial may overlap the two end initials. 

1. An article of jewelry comprising an ornamental portion and a base portion, means for detachably connecting said ornamental portion to said base portion for ready attachment and detachment with respect thereto, said means comprising a noncircular lug extending rearwardly from said ornamental portion, a bar on said base portion having an opening snugly receiving said lug, the length of said lug being just slightly longer than the thickness of said bar whereby the end portion of said lug is exposed, said exposed end portion of said lug being twisted about its own axis so as to be out of alignment with said opening, hence maintaining said ornamental portion assembled to said base portion, said exposed end portion being readily twistable back into alignment with said opening to permit ready separation of said portions, said bar having flanges extending rearwardly from the longitudinal edges thereof, the depth of said flanges being slightly greater than the length of said exposed end portion of said lug.
 2. In the article of jewelry of claim 1, said ornamental portion comprising three separate initials, each having its own lug, said bar having a plurality of said openings for receiving said lugs, said bar further having an offset adjacent its center portion whereby the middle initial may overlap the two end initials. 